PC - Ed Delany
Mazeika with a guy who used to not make much contact, except on the gridiron
WE METS FANS HAVE ALL SEEN IT.
SOME BACK UP GUY COMES UP IN A KEY SPOT.
SOME GUY STRIKES OUT.
WE FANS SCREAM AT TV.
Anyone who reads here knows I did a whole lot of bellyaching about RESERVE OF Keon Broxton last season, the strikeout king.
But these days, there are lots of baseball kings in the MLB Strikeout Kingdom. And in the minors, too.
Heck, 17 Rumble Ponies struck out last night. One got a hit.
They apparently missed the "make contact" memo.
Pat Mazeika now leads the league in shirts ripped off his back for game-winning, walk off, hitless ABs.
Why? He makes contact.
You're a sub and you don't make contact? Well, the shirt stays on and maybe someone puts a bus ticket to Binghamton into your hand instead.
But now, he's a bit of a legend, and legends usually stick around for a while.
4 Mets' plate appearances for Patty Lad, no hits, but 3 RBIs and of course, this game-winning, walk off RBI, not his first.
Tonight's walk off, of course, had so much to do with Jonathon Villar's totally terrific base play, even prior to the game's final play, when he went to 3rd base on a ball that bounced away from the catcher.
His clutch single to get on base, and later his fine speed and VERY aggressive running on the Mazeika grounder was the reason the Mets scored that game winner. Jackie Robinson would've liked that one.
In case you missed it, no one else on the Mets scores on that grounder. Almost no one else even tries.
Kudos to Villar. He stole the game.
We hear a lot about what Sandy did wrong this off season - but Villar (and Pillar) are two things he did right. In the past, when the Mets had to reach for a sub offensive player, so often you'd get a...well, a Keon Broxton. Not this year. Games have been won THIS YEAR because of far better sub quality players.
But, back to Mazeika. His slow grounder after several 2 strike foul balls got it done. Other subs would have been back on the bench long before Pat delivered big. He's a contact guy.
In the minors, he fanned just 248 times in 1,801 plate appearances, or 82 per every 600 plate appearances.
He makes contact and, when you do, things can happen. And they have. A bases loaded walk, and 2 walk-off RBIs on fielders' choices. Classic Mets baseball.
Mazeika now has 3 RBIs in 3 official at bats. Almora, Guillorme, Nido, Gsellman, and Lucchesi have 63 at bats - and 2 RBIs. Don't know why I added that.
He still needs that first hit - and on this team, with its depth, he may or may not get a lot of chances at it. But he makes contact - and in doing so, he's made Mets fans remember his name.
Mazeika. Pat Mazeika.
You know, the guy getting the shirt ripped off his back every game.
Ty Cobb told Pat Mazeika after the game that hits are overrated.
Production is what counts. Mazeika has produced.
Oh, and kudos to Marcus Stroman for anther great start.
SIX STRAIGHT. 100% TEAM EFFORT.
P.S. MEGILL WATCH
Every year, there is some underdog I pull hard for. This year, Tylor Megill.
The AA starter has 10 innings under his belt, 4 hits allowed, 3 walks (all in his first inning of the season when the ump was squeezing him), 1 run, and 17 Ks.
Can I convince you to pay attention, too?
6 comments:
Making contact Tom wow what a novel approach. Seriously it's really important this year because the lack of power is dramatic almost like when they opened Citi-field with those insane outfield dimensions and it's has to be the new baseball's so we better adjust quickly.
I am starting to get concerned with Alonso's slug% and OPS.
I always like Mazeika for his contact - and he is not bad throwing out runners. His average was down in the .240s in AA, pre-pandemic, which I found disappointing and puzzling. Time will tell, though - he is on the radar.
Mack, scary when Almora makes more contact with walls than with pitches.
Seriouly, Alonso doesn't lok like ball killer he was in 2019.
Mack, not just Pete. I think Conforto, Alonso, Smith, and Lindor, the Big Four have combined about a .350 slugging percentage. Crazy.
Nido has struck out twice in 22 ABs.
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